When it comes to Windows administration, there are two main tools that users can employ: PowerShell and CMD.

PowerShell is a more powerful and flexible tool than CMD, but it may be more appropriate for simple tasks or for users who are more comfortable with its syntax.

In this article, we’ll compare PowerShell and CMD, so you can decide which is the best tool for your needs.

PowerShell and CMD

Object-Oriented Scripting

PowerShell is an object-oriented scripting language and command-line shell designed for system administration. Unlike the traditional Windows Command Prompt (CMD), which primarily works with text-based commands and batch scripting, PowerShell processes and manipulates objects rather than plain text. This allows for more structured data handling, complex automation, and integration with Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI), .NET, and APIs. It is significantly more powerful than CMD and is the preferred choice for modern Windows automation and administration.

Object Oriented Scripting enhances automation, modularity and Code Maintainability:

1. Code Reusability – Define classes and objects once and reuse them, reducing duplication.
2. Modularity – Encapsulate functionality within objects, making code easier to manage and debug.
3. Scalability – Supports growing projects by organising code into structured, reusable components.
4. Data Encapsulation – Protects data by restricting direct access, reducing unintended modifications.
5. Improved Debugging – Objects store structured data, making it easier to track and resolve issues.
6. Extensibility – Allows adding new features with minimal impact on existing code.
7. Inheritance & Polymorphism – Enables extending base functionality without modifying core logic.

Complex Data Types

PowerShell supports complex data types, including arrays, hash tables, objects, and even custom classes, making it far more powerful for data manipulation than CMD, which primarily handles plain text and simple variables.

Key Data types in PowerShell include:

• Arrays (@()) – Store multiple values in a single variable.
• Hash Tables (@{}) – Store key-value pairs, useful for structured data.
• Objects (New-Object or [PSCustomObject]) – Allow defining custom properties and methods.
• Strongly Typed Variables – Unlike CMD, PowerShell allows explicit data types.

PowerShell’s ability to handle complex data types makes it a powerful tool for system administration, automation, and data management, far surpassing CMD’s capabilities.

Error Handling

PowerShell also offers better error handling than CMD, so you’re less likely to encounter errors when using PowerShell scripts. Unlike CMD, which provides minimal error feedback and relies on basic exit codes (%ERRORLEVEL%), PowerShell supports structured exception handling using try-catch-finally blocks, detailed error objects, and configurable error actions.

Tab Completion

PowerShell supports tab completion, which can save you a lot of time when typing commands. This is a powerful feature that helps users quickly complete commands, parameters, paths, and even object properties without typing them in full. This feature significantly enhances efficiency by reducing typing errors and improving command discovery.

Why Tab Completion is Useful

• Saves time by reducing manual typing.
• Helps discover available commands and parameters.
• Reduces errors by ensuring correct syntax.
• Works dynamically with modules and object properties.

Flexible

PowerShell has a richer syntax and supports cmdlets (pronounced “command-lets”), which are small programs that perform specific tasks. CMD only supports commands, which are limited in functionality.

In general, PowerShell is a more powerful and flexible tool than CMD. It is well-suited for complex administration tasks. However, CMD may be more appropriate for simple tasks or for users who are more comfortable with its syntax.

Conclusion

Ultimately, the decision of whether to use PowerShell or CMD depends on your needs. If you require a more powerful and flexible tool, PowerShell is the best choice. However, if you prefer a simpler tool with less of a learning curve, CMD may be the better option. Whichever tool you choose, Windows administration can be made easier with the use of scripting.

Do you have any experience with automating your Windows Administrative tasks with PowerShell or CMD scripting? Let us know in the comments below.

Automation with Attune

AttuneOps’s Attune is our flexible IT Automation & Orchestration solution, a self-documenting central source of reusable, proven processes, files and backups to build and maintain your IT/OT infrastructure.

You can automate your PowerShell scripts, CMD batch commands, and processes exactly as they would be manually typed into a device.

AttuneOps’s mission is to provide the community access to intuitive and flexible open-source IT automated and orchestrated processes and workflows.

Rapidly Debug Your Scripts and Continue The Job

Attune provides the ability to modify scripts in the steps during a running job without requiring the job to be restarted.

Traditionally, an error in a procedure could stop the entire process, requiring the process to be restarted. By writing steps that remain unchanged when run multiple times, these steps can be tested and retested without refreshing the system, and the job can be continued.

Rapidly deliver automated procedures with Attune’s simple job debugging and editing.

Portable, Shareable Procedures

Your team can export Attune’s procedures to a file and then import them into another Attune. These procedure exports contain all the scripts, comments, and even archives or installers, ready to drop into another Attune server and execute.

Attune has variables, used to create reusable procedures. Variables take the place of servers, strings, passwords, usernames, and more. Reusable procedures reduce time, effort, and improve quality assurance.

Automated Document Generation

Attune inherently captures and centralises your support team’s knowledge.

Captures logs of jobs in a centralised location. Historical logs are archived for future investigation.

Centralised Logging also enhances visibility, security, and compliance, enabling faster incident detection, debugging, and performance optimisation. With centralised logging, teams can correlate events across distributed environments, automate alerts, and improve overall system reliability and operational efficiency.

Industry ITIL requirements have driven Attune’s unique design to generate and export the step-by-step documentation.

With Attune, you can centrally manage your PowerShell scripts using source control, which allows teams to easily automate the cloning and execution of the scripts.

Your team can export the automated procedures as instructions to run the steps manually. This helps work in an isolated environment without Attune access.

Demonstration of Attune

Start using AttuneOps’s Attune RIGHT NOW. It’s quick and easy to get started.